Bow Neck Blouse Sewalong

October 16, 2013

I don’t have enough blouses in my wardrobe. As I’ve been looking around for sources of inspiration, I find I’m drawn over and over to blouses with bows at the neck. Subtle bows that add a little spot of interest to giant floppy bows that take over the blouse, I want them all. To encourage myself to make some new blouses, and to inspire other sewists to join me, I’m hosting a sewalong! I would LOVE it if you would join me! What do you need to do to take part? Sew a blouse or dress with a bow at the neck during the month of November!

The details: For the month of November 2013 (that gives you a couple weeks to plan your pattern and get your fabric!) I’ll be hosting a Bow Neck Blouse Sewalong. What does that mean? On my blog, I’ll be sharing inspirational photos of blouses (and dresses) that have bows at their neck from the 1920’s through now. I’ve planned to make 3 bow neck blouses myself, and I’ll hopefully be finishing those and sharing them too!

How can you participate? I’ve created a Flickr group where we can all share inspiration and progress. I’d love it if you would join the Flickr group now and upload photos of bow-neck blouses you’ve already sewn (and links to your blog post or pattern info) to serve as sources of inspiration. As you finish your sewalong blouses, you can add them there too! We can share progress on Twitter and Instagram once we start planning and sewing using #BNBsewalong.

When the sewalong is done, I’ll put together a giant post sharing everyone’s lovely creations. To have your info included, please email me at Erin @ SeamstressErin.com by November 30th, 2013 with:
– your name
– a link to your blog post (if you have one, a link to a flickr upload is fine too)
-what pattern you used and when it is from

(The images in the top picture are from, in order: Everyday Fashions of the Twenties/Thirties/Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs, McCalls 4965, Simplicity 2154, McCalls 4271, Simplicity 9215, Anthropologie)

I find this idea for a sew a long exciting, as I have very few blouses in my wardrobe and could use at least one nice flowy blouse that fits.
I just browsed burda style and they have several tie neck-ish blouse patterns there.
I actually have a vintage 70s neck tie blouse pattern in my stash, but it intimidates me.

Hey, I’m in! very excited and have the perfect pattern (that I might of been thinking about doing anyway :D ) jsut to let you know, the code for the 200×200 button is a little wrong, the size is still 300×300- I’ve fixed it on my site, but others might not know how.
Looking forward to seeing everyones finished tops :D
Freya Mayx

I’m in! I need more blouses too and have wanted one of those cute bow neck ones for ages now. I found a nifty little pattern for one just the other day on etsy and snapped it up just for this (and hopefully plenty more super cute blouses!!)!! Thanks for doing this Seamstress Erin!

Sounds like fun. I’m going to dig out my old Palmer Pletsch 3 hour blouse pattern that I made back in the 80s! It’s a great pattern. I made all views back then and may do the same again. I think I’m over knit tops for a while. Blouses are so much nicer. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s projects.

Such coincidence! Fifteen minutes ago I was thinking I needed to make a bow necked blouse to go with some jackets and cardigans. Then I found this blog via the interview with Sew well’s Amy and noticed the sewalong button. I’m in!

What great timing! Recently I bought fabric to make a bowneck dress from a recent McCall’s pattern. This will be the perfect kick in the butt to make the dress without getting distracted by the latest something shiny. Really looking forward to what everyone makes!